The proposed studies are concerned with the origins and development of imitation in the human infant. Research showing early imitation of gestures which the infant cannot see himself perform (facial gestures) may help reveal man's innate imitative competencies and test theories of his social and cognitive development. The proposed research will experimentally investigate the developmental course of facial imitation over the first year of life, both distinguishing it from an arousal response and determining whether there is a period when such imitation appears to "drop out" of the infant's repertoire in the first year of life. The range of gestures than can be imitated and the nature and organization of the response will be examined developmentally. Implications for Piaget's theory of sensorimotor development and practical applications for neonatal cognitive assessments will be suggested.